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Coming Events


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Wed 4 Oct 4:30 pm
2023/24 Sydney Summer Series #1 - Rydalmere
Eric Primrose Reserve, John St, Rydalmere

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Sun 8 Oct 8:00 am
BOSS1 Newcastle MTBO - Glenrock
Glenrock State Conservation Area

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Wed 11 Oct 4:30 pm
2023/24 Sydney Summer Series #2 - Hunters Hill
Boronia Park Reserve, Hunters Hill.

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Wed 11 Oct 5:00 pm
Newcastle Summer Street Series Warmup
National Park, corner of Dumeresq St and Smith St, Cooks Hill.

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Sat 14 Oct 2:00 pm
Coffs Score #6 - Woolgoolga
Woolgoolga High School Sport Fields.

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Sat 14 Oct 3:00 pm
Cordeaux Heights
Cordeaux Heights 1:7,500, Sheargold Park (Derribong Drive) Cordeaux Heights

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Sun 15 Oct 10:00 am
Waggaroos Local event, Livingstone
Livingstone.

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Sun 15 Oct 10:00 am
Bush event #8 Rocky Falls
Rocky Falls, Mullion State Forest

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Sun 15 Oct 10:00 am
Kooringle
23 km on Bundarra Road

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Wed 18 Oct 4:30 pm
2023/24 Sydney Summer Series #3 - Killarney Heights
Killarney Heights Oval, Killarney Heights.

Learn the Skills

If you've been through the Newcomer Information and are ready to take your orienteering to a new level, here's a few tips!

1. Talk to a coach or experienced orienteers.

Find out who is an accredited coach in your club and have a chat to them.  It can be enormously beneficial to discuss a map and course before you head out and then to review how you went afterwards. 

2. Attend a coaching/training day or weekend.

Each year there is usually a coaching/training day or weekend conducted by Orienteering NSW.  These days are generally open to all members and will be advertised on the website or through the weekly E-bulletin.

Clubs also offer training opportunities, so check with your local club on what is coming up.

2. After each event, review your course.

Draw your route (or at least where you think you went) on your map.  When you are not tired, have a look at where you went and why.  What did you do well?  Where did you lose time and why?  Are there any lessons to be learn't from the event or from a series of events?

Livelox is a useful course for comparing your route against other people. Download your GPX track and see how you compare to other competitors.

If electronic timing was used, how did the timing splits for each leg compare?

There are various course or skill review templates available or you can create your own.  Here's a few that might be helpful:

Skills self-evaluation template

Race Analysis template

3. Know your map and control description symbols.

OA symbol information sheets:

Take an online quiz to learn your control descriptions.

4. Practice

The more events you do, the more experience you will get and the faster you will learn.  Different areas demand different navigation techniques and it takes time to gain experience in a wide variety of terrain.

5. Fair Play

The IOF has released a set of Fair Play principles to serve as guidelines for different client groups within orienteering. Read about them here.

6. Do some self-help homework

There are a variety of How To orienteering books available but you may need to order them online.

A fun way to practice is through the virtual orienteering game, Catching Features.  You can download a demo version for free.

Watch some videos - see the videos at Orienteering Australia or keep an eye on YouTube or World of O TV for more.

Check out some useful sites such as the ones below.

Orienteering Australia coaching materials

Orienteering ACT coaching tips

Orienteering Queensland coaching tips

British Orienteering Improving Performance

World of O: O-training.net (High quality training exercises)

7. Do some training at State Leagues

For primary school aged orienteers, the Wildfires group get together at State League events.  Apart from having some fun and games they also build their orienteering skills.

Ask for an early start at a State League event and after completing your easier course and gaining some familiarity with the map, enter on the day and try a slightly harder course.  In need, head out with a more experienced orienteer and take the opportunity to learn and practice some skills.

Control collecting at your club's State league event is also worthwhile.  Volunteer to assist with control collecting at the end of the event and ask to go out with an experienced orienteer.  Try some harder level controls without the pressure of competition and with some backup!

8. Get involved in course setting

Course setting forces you to learn the map and how a course setter might be thinking.  Often clubs will have a buddy system for new setters to guide you through the process and help you learn how it's done.

9. Get fitter

Your fitness will improve just by doing more events.  However if you would like to get even fitter then you will need to do more running or cross-training.  Often some club members will do long runs together regularly or may even attend an externally run training group.  Elite level orienteers will have comprehensive running programs that include long runs, intervals, hill runs and more.

Courses

 

Major Events

 Schedule 2022 - 2026

Event Series

NSW State League

MetrO League

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West Orienteering Series